Machine for cutting and planting potatoes.



No. s`3|,o27. Patented Aug. l5, |899.

' J. F. MCCANN. MACHINE FOB CUTTING AND PLANTING POTATUES.

[Application led Feb. 3, 1898.) (No Model.)

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.IOIIN FREDERIC MCCANN, `OF TORONTO, CANADA.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING AND PLANTING POTATOES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 631,027, dated August15, 1899.

Application filed February 3, 1898. `Serial No. 668,949. (No model.)

T0 all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, JOHN FREDERIC Mc- CANN, of the city of Toronto, inthe county of York, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Cutting, Planting,and Covering Potatoes in Drills; and I hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to improvements in that class of machines which areused forcutting, planting, and covering potatoes in drills.

The object of my invention is to construct a machine which will cut apotato into a number of parts, convey the cut portions to a drill, andcover same, the whole operation being done automatically, the operatorhaving only to feed to the feed-box one potato at a time. Simplicity andcheapness of construction are also combined in my invention.

For a full comprehension of my invention reference must be had to theaccompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in whichsimilar letters of reference indicate like parts.

Figure l is a perspective view of my machine. Fig. 2 is a verticalsection detail of the cutting-box. Fig. 3 is a plan of the knife andslide, showing the movement of same, also the crank movement for drivingthe knife.

The framework of my machine consists of a V-shaped frame A, the supportsC of the table F, the seat a, and its supports c c. On top of the tableF, I place a box D, into which the seed-potatoes are thrown. Inside thisbox D is the feed box or funnel E, to which the potatoes are fed by handone at a time and by means of which the potato is fed to the knife I,and when it is severed for planting the portion ready for planting isconveyed to the drill through the funnel P.

For comprehension of the manner in which the potato is cut referencemust be had to Fig. 2. I is the cutting-knife, which has connected to itby means of the rods S a slide R, which slide forms a sliding bottom forthe feed box or funnel E, the knife I and slide R being connected by therod U. I-I is a pitman connecting the rod U with the bent axle T. G is asprocket-wheel on the bent axle T, which sprocket is driven by a chainJ, connected with the sprocket K on the drivingaxle Z. B are theordinary driving-wheels, and O is a plow secured to the frame A, whichmakes a drill, into which the cut portion ofthe seed prepared forplanting is dropped, being there conveyed by the conveying-funnel P. Theseed is covered by the blades N N, which are likewise attached to theframe A. Q is a small wheel in front of the machine, which works on apivot and may be raised or lowered to make a drill of any desired depth.

I will now describe the operation of my machine.

The driver is seated on the seat ct. The potatoes are thrown into thesupply-box D. The driver takes one potato at a time and drops the sameinto the feed box or funnel E, down which it falls until it reaches theslide or false bottom R. It rests on this until the knife I is propelledforward by means of the bent shaft T and pitman H, when the knife passesthrough the potato. As the knife I and slide R are connected by means ofthe rods S, it will be readily understood that the slide has the samemotion as the knife, and as the latter comes forward the former alsomoves in the same direction, thus allowing the cut portion to drop downthe conveying-funnel I.

The uncut portion of the potato is held by the knife I, and when theknife I is Withdrawn the potato drops until caught by the slide R, whenthe same operation is repeated.

Whenthe knife I is propelled by the driving-gear in the manner ofcutting, a vibrating motion is produced which causes the potato tobounce and turn over and therefore present a dierent angle to the knife,and the potato instead of being sliced is cut into triangular parts thesame as though cut by hand.

I am aware that prior to my invention potato cutters and planters havebeen manufactured with hoppers and cutting-knives in conjunction withdetainers, most of which 2 Genoa? machines are hill-planters. ThereforeI do not broadly claim a patent ou the entire combination of my machine;but

What I do claim as myinventiou, and de- 5 sire to secure by LettersPatent, is-

In a potatoLplanter, the supply-hopper D, mounted upon standards C, outhe frame A, provided with a central funnel E and conductor P, incombination with the reciproxo eating frame carrying the false bottom R,and

knife whereby the potatoes are eut and alternately discharged into thefurrow formed by the plow O, and covered by the blades N N, allsubstantially as shown and described.

Dated at Toronto,Canada, January 25, A. D. 15 1898.

JOHN FREDERIC MCCANN; In presence of- N. F. AI-IODGSON, F. I. STANLEY;

